Chapter 110: Spirit Lamp
Translator: StackThatCoin Editor: Hitesh
Nie Yaonu had noticed the strange gaze of Wu Qi. Following his vision, she raised her head and looked towards the spirit lamp as well. Then, she said with a proud smile, "That is the Dustless Lamp, a precious treasure left behind by our founding ancestor. Wherever the light reaches, no dust and dirt can remain and no insects of poison can approach. When sitting in the place lit by its light, no foreign evils could invade the cultivator. This treasure had provided a great help for achieving the cultivation base I currently possess."
Wu Qi cried out with 'great shock'. He cast an envied yet amazed glance toward the Dustless Lamp, over and over again. There was a blue gleam in his eyes, and he had memorized the entire image deep within his mind. The lamp took the shape of a hexagon, the six pillars of it were carved from a single piece of 'Dust Repelling Innate Stone '. They contained the innate essence energy of Earth element, giving forth an air of heaviness and thickness. Therefore, no dust could come near its perimeter.
Enclosed within these six pillars sat a flame holder that took the shape of a pagoda. It was carved using a piece of 'Innate Wood of Arousal', and its size was similar to the head of a baby. For Heaven Immortals and even Golden Immortals, this Innate Wood of Arousal was a rare treasure. Not only because it contained a single thread of Wood element innate energy, but more importantly, it could provide a unique divine force that calmed one's mind and stabilized the aura. By placing a piece of Innate Wood of Arousal around when cultivating, it could prevent the rising of internal evils, get rid of trouble thoughts, soothe and tidy up the aura of the cultivator to prevent any deviation. With its help, the progress of cultivation would advance at a tremendous pace.
On top of the flame holder sat a wisp of flame, a purple and green flame as thick as an adult's thumb and one foot two inches tall. It was a flame obtained from the high-sky, birthed from absorbing and gathering the energy essence from the Sun, the Moon, and all the stars in the sky, then the condensing into innate Fire element energy, and was finally forging and tempering by the great force of nature. Its name was 'Divine Flame of Order'. Among all three innate spirit objects found in this Dustless Lamp, this Divine Flame of Order had the highest quality, and its power was the greatest as well. In the ranking of all flames found under the heaven, it could be ranked among top five.
What gave it the name of Divine Flame of Order? It was because within this purple and green flame was contained a tiny thread of aura that belonged to the Principle of Heaven and Earth, a natural order that was formed by itself. Just like the deterring force that the local authorities in the mortal world gave to the local hooligans and gangster, this Divine Flame of Order brought a strong constraining force towards all evils and devils under the heaven. Wherever its light shone, all corporeal or incorporeal Nether and Heaven Evils dared not to come closer. If a cultivator were cultivating within the radius of its light, he would not be invaded by any external evils. When its effect was stacked together with the effect from Innate Wood of Arousal, neither internal nor external evils could harm the cultivator. His mind, body, and soul would be in a state of perfect calmness. With that, a flat path of cultivation would lie before the cultivator.
The importance of Dust Repelling Innate Stone and Innate Wood of Arousal was not that significant for Wu Qi, as he only needed to extract a thread of innate energy from them. Then, he would be able to start cultivating with the Source of Earth Chapter and Source of Wood Chapter. But, Wu Qi had decided that not only was he going to extract a thread of innate Fire element energy from this Divine Flame of Order, he also intended to claim it as his own. The power of this flame was mighty and incredible, and it also provided countless magical usages. In the future, no matter he was going to craft weapons, formations, or even concoct pills, this kind of innate fire could always be put to a great use.
It was especially true when he had his Gold Core reach the mastery level and when the moment of forming his Nascent Soul was approaching, as that would be the time he had to face the tribulation of Nether Evils that came from the foreign realm. If he had this Divine Flame of Order carried with him, those Nether Evils who came assaulting him would prove themselves to be a joke. When the Divine Flame of Order unleashed its power, it would turn those incorporeal Nether Devils into the purest energy particles of soul, which Wu Qi could then absorb and used to strengthen his own soul. Therefore, there was no way he could let this Divine Flame of Order to slip past his fingers.
It was a pity that though Nie Yaonu was staying within a mountain of great treasure, yet she didn't recognize them at all. Could she really just use this Dustless Lamp to aid her cultivation?
While offering three sticks of incense to the portrait of Immortal Zhenyi, bowing, kowtowing, and officially carrying out the ceremony of entering the sect, Wu Qi couldn't help but sneer within his mind. If that were the case, he would accept the great benefits provided by this Dustless Lamp on behalf of Heaven Breaking Sword Sect. Carefully, he pondered and plotted out his scheme. No matter what, he would not leave this Dustless Lamp behind for the Heaven Breaking Sword Sect.
The difference between an innate spirit object and an acquired treasure[1] was that the innate spirit object contained a thread of innate energy. And there was a great benefit that this innate energy could bring. Once a cultivator spent a long time with it, especially when he transformed it into a magical treasure and stored within his own body, it could slowly modify the body constitution of the cultivator, turning his mortal Houtian body into a corporeal Xiantian body.
For example, if Nie Yaonu had this Dust Repelling Innate Stone carried with her at all times, year in and year out, her body would gradually transform into a corporeal Xiantian body with the element of Earth. Needless for her to even cultivate with any kind of Earth element technique, she would be able to breathe in the Earth element energy freely. She could use all sorts of Earth element magic as if it were her innate ability. Yet, for those cultivators with a mortal Houtian body, if they wished to use Earth elemental magics, they would have to recite magical incantations and form finger gestures, and they also had to pour in a great effort in training the magic power of their body. The difficulty was simply astonishing.
That was the difference between an Innate Spirit Object and an Acquired Treasure. No matter how powerful an Acquired Treasure was, it didn't have the divine effect of modifying the potential of a cultivator, like how an Innate Spirit Object could. Yet, the potential of a cultivator was the root of everything. For those cultivators who owned a Xiantian body, it would take them at most one thousand years to attain the cultivation of Golden Immortal, even at the slowest rate. On the contrary, for ordinary cultivators with a Houtian Body, even if he just wished to become the weakest Heaven Immortal of Tier Thirty-six, it would take at least two to three thousand years of hard work on an average.
While recalling the description related to Innate Spirit Objects found in Scroll of Stealing, Wu Qi's heart started to race, burning from the temptation.
After offering their prayers to Immortal Zhenyi, Nie Yaonu once again knelt before the huge portrait and offered nine kowtows with a solemn expression. Then, she murmured words of prayer, before stretching out both hands and unleashing a bright beam into the portrait. A vague gleam flickered from the Formation Map of Eight Trigrams hovering above the right palm of Immortal Zhenyi, then a piece of turtle shell, the size of a human head, sparkling white as a jade, flew slowly out from the portrait while glinting with a dazzling glow of three colors.
Wu Qi, Nie Baihong, and Princess Zhang Le moved slowly aside, watching what happened without saying anything.
Nie Yaonu took a deep breath, took over the turtle shell seriously and solemnly, spun and looked at Lu Chengfeng. Without hesitation, Lu Chengfeng lifted up his long robe and knelt before Nie Yaonu respectfully. Nie Yaonu nodded her head satisfyingly, holding the turtle shell with both hands as she said, "Chengfeng, this is the Arts of Heaven Patching Formation, one of the peerless arts inherited within our sect. My talent could only allow me to inherit the sword technique of our founding ancestor, and now, we'll have to rely on you to bring glory to this Arts of Heaven Patching Formation."
With mixed emotions, she gently stroke the turtle shell, then again said with a deep voice, "Not only does this turtle shell contain all the knowledge related to Arts of Heaven Patching Formation, it is also a rare defensive magical treasure. Compared to offensive magical treasure, a defensive magical treasure is at least one hundred times rarer. Since you're cultivating with the art of formation, and I don't have any flying sword that I can give you, you can refine this turtle shell and make it yours. With that, you will be able to protect your own safety."
Again, Lu Chengfeng gave Nie Yaonu a few more respectful kowtows, then received the turtle shell with both hands. He said in a solemn tone, "It is my honor to receive such a precious treasure. I have great fondness for the art of formations, and thus, I'll definitely bring glory to the Arts of Heaven Patching Formation. Honor and glory shall both be bestowed to the Heaven Breaking Sword Sect." He paused, and continued with a smile on his face, "Also, there are a few energy stone veins in my fief. Their reserve is significant, and their quality is supreme. As I'm now the disciple of Heaven Breaking Sword Sect, those energy stone veins will naturally become part of Heaven Breaking Sword Sect's property. I hope Patriarch can send someone to take over them as soon as possible, so they can manage the work related to extracting the energy stones."
Clearly, Wu Qi could saw a bright gleam flicked in the eyes of Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong, a look of wild joy.
This was their biggest reward for accepting Lu Chengfeng as a disciple. The innate talent of both Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong had decided that they were more skillful in killing people with their flying sword. For the art of formations, which was profound and required many years to study, it was simply not their preferred choice of cultivation. Yet, among all apprentices and disciples of Heaven Breaking Sword Sect, they couldn't have any trusted disciples to pass this art of formation. Using the Arts of Heaven Patching Formation, which seemed like useless rubbish to them, they had exchanged with a few energy stone veins that had a huge reserve of premium quality energy stones. No matter how carefully they weighed the pros and cons, it was a worthwhile business for this pair of mother and son.
Currently, the only source of energy stones for Heaven Breaking Sword Sect was the fixed portion that was given to them by the Imperial Clan of Great Yan Dynasty on a yearly basis. Imaginably, Yan Li, as the third son of the Crown Prince, must have controlled the rights of energy stone distribution. All the loyal disciples of Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong would have to be slavishly dependent on Yan Li in order to obtain a few pieces of energy stones. As this Immortal's Cave of Sword Stems From The Mind was the heart and restricted area of Heaven Breaking Sword Sect, Nie Baihong would never bring anyone who was not loyal to her here. As a result, the lack of energy stones had become the biggest bottleneck that prevented Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong to further expand their own loyal disciples.
But now, as Lu Chengfeng had just given them a few energy stone veins, this pair of mother and son could finally get going and go all out. Those apprentices and disciples who were loyal to them would soon be given a great deal of energy stones in aiding their cultivation; the progress of their cultivation would immediately gain a huge leap.
Nie Yaonu breathed a sigh of relief, but then she furrowed and said, "However, energy stone veins are controlled resources of Great Yan Dynasty. If I send someone to extract them, I fear that the Imperial Court would give us trouble."
Wu Qi immediately burst out into a loud laughter, "What are you saying, Patriarch? Those energy stone veins are sitting right inside our young master's fief. No matter how he wants them to be extracted, or who he allows to extract them, that will be his own decision, even if those are controlled resources of Great Yan Dynasty. After all, they are to be supplied to Heaven Breaking Sword Sect, and it is not something that violates taboos. Even if someone tries to make noise because of that, hehe, Zhang Le, what do you think we should do?"
Princess Zhang Le nodded her head and said, "You're right. Sister Yaonu has accepted a disciple, and for extracting a few energy stones veins in that disciple's fief, who dares to say a word about it? For all the other sects who cultivate Dao of Immortals in Great Yan Dynasty, they are also secretly extracting energy stone veins in the fief of their own disciples, and I don't hear anyone say anything about their actions. Just that sister Yaonu had been binding yourself too much with the rules and regulation, and hence you never do it. In fact, you should have done this long ago, sister Yaonu."
Princess Zhang Le's words were naive and carried no bad intention, but it brought a wry smile on Wu Qi and the others’ faces.
If not because of Lu Chengfeng, the Duke Yan Le who appeared out of nowhere, Nie Yaonu and her son also had the intention to accept a nobleman of Imperial Clan as their disciple. But who dared to become their disciple? With Yan Li holding power in Heaven Breaking Sword Sect, it was natural that all the descendants of Great Yan Dynasty's influential officials and noblemen became the disciples of Yan Li. Therefore, who dared to give even a single piece of energy stone to Nie Yaonu and her son?
Only Lu Chengfeng, a brand new wealthy and prestigious nobleman, who had no foundation and not too many conflicts of interest in Great Yan Dynasty, could have colluded with Nie Yaonu and her son. Using a few energy stone veins in exchange for the support from Nie Yaonu and her son, two mighty and formidable cultivators, it was an inevitable decision for Lu Chengfeng, if he wished to keep a foothold in the Imperial Court of Great Yan Dynasty. Without a powerful support at his back to deter any potential threats, the incident such as the assassination from Taba Qingye, and the framing of Qin Qingshui would never come to an end.
In conclusion, as Lu Chengfeng had now become the disciple of Heaven Breaking Sword Sect, it was an event that benefited everybody, and no other thing was more suitable for the current situation.
Everybody within the tower was laughing now. Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong, the mother and son, were laughing as a great burden on their shoulders had finally lifted. Lu Chengfeng was laughing leisurely and full of hopes for his future; Princess Zhang Le was giggling naively, a blurred expression on her face, and no one knew what was she giggling at.
Among all of these people, Wu Qi was the only one with the weirdest smile. No matter how one looked at him, the smile on his face looked like the thievery smile on the face of a mouse who was going to steal oil. While laughing happily, he kept gazing at the Dustless Lamp from the corner of his eyes. The big smile of his revealed two rows of white teeth. Under the pale-green light of the lamp, they shimmered brightly.
Inwardly, Wu Qi made up his mind. Within three days, he would have this Dustless Lamp held in his hand.
[1] Acquired Treasure - In the raws, the author used 后天珍宝, to standardize the term of objects/items. I'll use innate/acquired (Xiantian/Houtian) to distinguish between them.